Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1887-04-21

After dinner the party adjourned to
the spacious parlors, where President
Frank B. Minch transferred the no..
tel to Mr.. Elisha Taft, the new pro-
prietor, in a neat speech. Mr.. Taft
responded very pleasantly, and ac-
cepted the trust. with the hope that
he might make the management OF the
house success, both for himself, the
stockholders, and the people.
Ed. NJ. Fithian, chairman of the
Furnishing Committee, was called on,
and made brief remarks concerning
the manner in which the building and
equipment of the hotel had been
carried to completion, and thanked
those who had SO heartily co-operated.
Charles f. Elmer was then called on,
when he read the following interesting
hotel history, which we print in full,
believing that it will be appreciated by
many readers. This concluded the
program, and soon afterward the
guests departed for their homes, leav-
ing the splendid hotel in the hands of
it's new manager, with full belief that
the auspicious opening would bring
forth much good fruit in the years to
come:
This occasion brings to mind something con-
cerning the taverns, inns or hotels of Bridge
oil, lz1 CoIo
Bridge, named Bridgetown in 1855, and unit
recently retained this name under the United
States Laws, as a port of entry and revenue
collections.
So long ago as 1725, there stood house near
the creek facing east. little south of the
present Commerce street bridge. on the fork of
an old road running down and parallel to the
creek, which house extended westward to
about where Atlantic street now is, with
garden in front.
This house was built by one SilaS Parvin, and
was licensed in 1850, and for several years after
as tavern, and remained there for nearly one
hundred years, when it was removed by Smith
Bowen, and used as livery stable.
At that time, Q725 the main road through
the town towards Greenwich, passed near this
tavern. thence south-westerly to where the
City Hotel now is. 1t was never regularly laid
out only used as a road, and was closed in 1885,
The course of it up the hill is even now distin-
guishable.
Cumberland County was set off as County,
from Salem County, in 174S, and in February,
1749, the first Court of Cumberland was held in
the tavern then kept by Isaac Smith, situated
on what was then known as the Boyd prop
erty' near where Timothy Campber's store roS.
the Silas Paryin tavern, mentioned above.
The first license to keep an inn or tavern in
Bridgetown, of which we have any record, was
granted at the December term of the Court,
lt4S. held at Greenwich, to Isaac Smith. who
then, as above mentioned, lived on the Boyd
property" near where Timothy Campbel's
store now is, on Laurel street.
Bridgetown then did not number more than
IS houses, and most of the dwellings were on
the west side of the creek, the east side being
mostly mud flats. forest and husband.
lin 1750 license was granted to Silas Parvin.
In the same year Jonathan Sayre was licensed
to keep an inn or tavern on the north side of
now Broad street. then Main street. perhaps
nearly opposite to where the old Court House
stood, in the centre of Broad street. In 175l a
license was granted to Hans Woolson.
stood where the present Court House now
stands, was erected, so Judge L. Q. c. Elmer
states, for a tavern. directly after the Rovolu-
ton, and was kept as such until its purchase as
residence for the Rev. Jonathan Freeman.
Freeman died in 1922. and again it was used for
a tavern by Richard Jarman. Ralph Burt
kept it in 1892 when the Democrats made an
attack ON the house on account of a trans
oil CHI to he Crrao
| Andrew Jackson.
| Edmund Davis kept it after he removed from
Roadstown, about 1929. jeremiah Whitaker
father of Dayton B. and Clayton Whitaker, was
the last person owning it, and he conveyed il
to the Board of Chosen Freeholders of the
County of Cumberland. October 7th, 1886.
| Games of quoits, rolling bullets, and hand
ball, or fves," as it was called. were attractive
/ amusements in those days, and this tavern, the
/ High House," was headquarters for the play
ers. Here was the most noted ball alley IL
South Jersey There were no windows on thu
east side of the house, which gave ample oppor
tunity for the skillful players. Such men sr
= Capt. Richard Ross. Samuel Barber, John John
ston, and others, have seen engaged in these
manful sports.
At an carly date tavern was kept in the
! ~N'
| southwest corner of Broad and Giles streets
John Ham, Sr., kept it about 1905. and made i
the headquarters for his stage line to Philadel
phia, by way of Roadstown. His son, JohI
Ham, Jr., was al expert and noted reinsman
This house afterwards became the residence o
Josiah Seeley, and Daniel Garrison, Collector o
Customs, had his office there, while holding thi
government position, 1882 to 1857.
The DIR. Isaac H. Hampton residence on Vim
street, now occupied by Charles Krauter, wa
once licensed tavern.
In 1916 Enoch Boon kept tavern in an OLE
house on Commerce ST., where David Elmer.
brick row is. built by Alexander Moore, grand
father of John Moore White. about the yea
1752.
In 119l John Moore White, a noted lawyer
erected good substantial residence at the nortl
! west corner of Commerce and Laurel streets
November 1910. he conveyed the same to Majo
William Potter, who then kept store where thu
MGears now are. March %, 1911, Potter con
veyed the same to Smith Bowen.
Bowen made some alterations to the house
got license to keep tavern and opened il to the
public. In 1919 Jarvis Brewster kept it, then
Smith Bowen again.
:, Jeremiah Buck kept it for about ten years, to